Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-03-12
BY WILLIAM T. HORNADAY.
Author Of 1.-TWO Years In the Jungle
Copyright, 1887. All rights reserved.

Der 10th and our friends asked, " How long are you
going 10 be gomez we answered, ave hope 70 get
through with our hunt in two months and back
across the Yellowstone before the billiards begin.
To their next query, How many buffalo do you
expect 10 get?" we said, "wel, we hope to get
twenty" with the mental addition " And don't
rush may get neynr'
In view OF the public interest at stake on the
success OF our undertaking, the officials OF the
Pennsylvania, the Chicago, Milwaukee and 81
Paul and Northern Pacific railways very kindly
furnished Us free transportation over their re-
spectiVe lines. The Secretary OF War issued an
order To the commanding o1icer at Fort Keogn
requesting him 10 furnish our party with such Held
transportation, camp equipage and escort as we
might require consistent with the best interests
Of the service and the Secretary OF the Interior
also was kind enough to issue an ordor in our in
terests to all the officers and agents In his depart
Inent.
We reached Miles City on September "a and were
met by Irwin Boyd a cowboy whom met in the
spring and engaged 10 go with me Us the foreman
OF my 'Outf1t." The weather was fine and there
not day to be lost. Thanks TO the energy
and goodwill OF the officers at TT. Keogh there
was not an hours delay, and on the afternoon OF
the 18th, Just thirty-siX hours after we stepped
of the ears by dlnt OF lively work we were ready,
and at once pulled out across The Yellowstone for
the .'north side," equipped for two months in the
held Even then the good people OF Miles City
looked upon the undertaking OF ''them bug
hunters" as "a regular wild goose chase, sure TO
man had the audacity TO say 10 Boyd conndentt-
ally: Look a-here, Boyd, what's the use OF you
fellows going up there. OF course, it's all right
for you TO make all you can out OF the government.
But there Amt any buffalo up there and you know
It."
.SThere amt. hey said Boyd; "well, now, sup
pose you just wait and see. Maybe We don't
know what were up TO and maybe We do
Each OF my three cowboys furnished his own
horse, selected with special care tor the hunt.
and for myself. / bought two saddle horses for
sI05. a team for $I:s5 and hired ranch wagon and
came terribly wearing on our saddle horses that
hired Two from ranch, and used both the team
horses 20 ride as we'll There was no forage OF any
kind 10 be furnished up country, so took 1000
pounds OF oats To start with In order TO iced well
while we rode hard From Fort KeOgh we got
six-mule team TO haul our freight 10 the hunting
ground, and with it was sent escort consisting
Of a sergeant and four men An old grizzly cam
paigner from Co. OF the 5th infantry, Patrick
McCanna by name, was detailed TO 90 with us as
cook, and viii always be grateful 10 the good
fortune that sent Us 'Aack."
IL really seemed To me that the private soldiers
composing that escort were the most cantankerOus
fellows ever had TO deal with. The moment We
met in Miles they began 10 kick" about the size OF
the load, and when their team finally pulled out
down the street saw sundry black bottles waving
il the air, which BODIED no good TO Hle. By the
time the Yellowstone ferry was reached they were
giortouSly drunk, all except the sergeant and
McCanna and as garrulouS as magpeS Old joe
the teaInster, sat bumped up on his saddle mule
jerk-line in hand, dividing his time equally in
jerking the leaders and '.argyinr with the men,
The huge l, 800 ID. wagon was piled almost up to
the wagon-bows with bags OF oats, boxes and bags
Of PROVISIONS tents, bedding and cooking utensils
and perched high up atop OF all sat the men OF the
escort each with a rifle in one hand and whisky
bottle In the other.
Two miles north of the ferry the road had been
newly cut, and in one place it lay along the side OF
steep hill Along the lower side the loose dirt
dug from the upper side had been thrown, forming
an e;nbankmenI, and, although the track was mar
row, IL was plenty wide enough for a sober team
ster. But 1t was too much for Old Joe. just as
his leaders approached the most ticklish place he
reached the point OF a heated Argument" he was
having with lone o. them fellers on the load, and
turned in his saddle 10 give his auditor his undi-
yided attention The lead mules saw that their
hour had come wherein they could get even with
the whole OUTFIT for the rest or their lives and
slowly and sadly they pulled OF TO the left, with
out saying word
..LoOk out there, joe" yelled Sergeant Bayliss
''W here are you going?"
Joe came To front face" jerked.wildly on his
line, and SwOre at his mules, but it Va, too late
The wheels dropped into the loose dirt, and with
mighty lurch over she went. McCanna, being an
old campa1gner. and on the lookout for number
one, saw what was coming and jumped of on the
uphill side. And then, on, what a fall was there,
my counJrymen, Down went the great pyramid
OF freight, 1000 pounds or more; smash went the
bows and torrent OF bags, men. boxes, guns, tin
Cans and camp kettles poured out of that huge
blue wa2on-box, and flowed down hill toward the
Yellowstone. Slowly and sadly the soldiers pulled
themselves out OF the wreck, and damned the Hood
which Tor q time had Oyerwh elmed them. Twas
Sorry 20 SEE that the sergeant was the only one
hurt-a sprained ankle-although various COM
plants were lodged against certain bags OF oats
and boxes OF canned goods which had lodged upon
certain backs But IL was a sight to make the
toughest traveller weep. To me IL Was the down.
fall or the U. S. army and IT was not until Ed
Hastings came oct 10 haul Us in that saw gov
ernment teams handled so skilfully as to blot out
all remembrance OF that stupid send-On.
We canped that night at ChapmanS ranch,
eight miles from Miles City, and for the first and
only time on the WAo.e trip our cook was mad. And
no wonder. In the six-nue load, chaos reigned
supreme, and in the escort whisky. 1t was dark
as pitch, the lantern had been smashed, and moth
ing could be found save coffee and coffee Dot.
Our own tent was put up; but the soldiers slept
oct IN the open, and In the night there came upon
Us such storm OF wind and dust as wish never
10 see again. But the coming Of bright, cold
morning cleared away our annoyanceS, and we
pulled up The sunday creek road due northwest,
all the way toward the Tow's ranch, on the Big
Dry
We had with US as a passenger Mr. Tow him
sell. who had Just returned from disheartening
IMP To Chicago with his fall shipment OF cattle.
Owing 10 the peremptOry removal OF the cattle
men from the Indian Territory, by order OF the
President, and the overcrowdlng OF the northern
ranges. which rendered 1t impossible TO ind graz
ing ground for their herds the north thousands
OF mead OF southern cattle whole herds In fact.
Were forced into the market, and consequently
prizes declined To almost nothing. IL was a
bad outlook for stockmen. for what will good
management and economy amount TO when cattle
are worth only $40 or $500 per hundred in
Chicago, when they should bring double tharP
Most oi the northwestern ranchnen thought 1t
wiSe 70 sell even at those lgures-and how they
must thank their lucky stars now that they did
50. lev wealthy rrIns decided 10 hold their
Deeyes over On the range until another season
Now while they see their cattle starving and
IreeZing ~ death on all sides, how they must re-
tret their decision. But they are plucky these
western cattle men Like wolves. they ..die with
out whining In the face OF almost oyerwhen-
Tag disaster they TRY 10 look on the bright side
and declare that things might be muchworse tina n
they are IL they WISHED 10 discourage po,sibIe
rivals they would magnify their losses and dis
courigeuiets, but they don't: they keep q stIr
upper mp and courageously hope for better luck
hcxt time
And tails Is just what one might expeet OF men
who have gnt enough 10 leave comfort able homes
Ia the east leave fond wives and children or sisters
and Sweethearts, leave books and papers music
food, good water and goods beds--Jo leave abOuf
every Thing that makes lie worth living and 90
out west u live on u cattle ranch say I admire
any nlaA no has griL enough 10 do IL for P,i die
nrst- could stdnd the rOughing IT, the bodily
ciscomfortS and the hard work the heat
IL summer, aye, and the cold OF winter
too, for that matter, but the loneliness
ciety the absence Of the worlds literature. and
above all the absence of home-GOds most pre-
cfOlS git 10 man-wOuid ALL NE. would moi h.
eAiIed 10 a Montana cattle ranch ten months our
Of every year for a whole herd OF golden calves
Montana Is a cruel country, about the cruelest I
know except Borneo. The land Is 80 moor thai
you could not raise disturbance on L. Not a
or potato, can you grow any where save In some
valley where Irrigation Is possible. The country
Il tTecte,,. de,olAte and bleak In summer the
terrific heat Scorches you, dries Up the pools OF
water ana nearly Kills you with thirst. In winter
The billiards. almost sweep you on The face OF the
earth, the suow blinds you the SHOW nled coulles
lie ike 80 many traps 10 ensuf you the intense
up the grass until the cattle and horses starye
The distances tlresOiueiy long